Chocolate dipped Peanut Butter Pretzel Sandwiches...

I found several versions of this recipe online. Versions can be found at LilyShop or FoodaPhelia. I modified the recipe as follows, omitting the butter and reducing the sugar.

Ingredients:
1 cup peanut butter (I used reduced fat PB - shhhhh don't tell my husband)
1/2 cup granulated or Brown sugar
1/2 cup powdered (confectioners) sugar

Semi-Sweet chocolate chips for melting
Waffle pretzels (square or round, but I suppose you could just use mini pretzels as well)

Next up, make the filling by combining the sugars and peanut butter until it makes a nice solid ball. If it's too sticky add more confectioners sugar, if it's not sticky enough add more peanut butter.

Then, you'll be making small 1/2 - 1" round balls for the middle of the sandwiches. and pressing them together as follows:

After the PB sandwiches are made, you want to stick these guys in the fridge for a bit, while you melt the chocolate in a double boiler or using your preferred method. (If you don't refrigerate them in between dipping them in chocolate, they will be soft and you will end up pinching the end you are holding to dip as you can see from some of the bites below - they'll taste just as good, just look a little catawampus)

Refrigerate or leave out on counter to cool. Again we prefer these refrigerated as well. Enjoy!

Rolo Pretzel Turtles

I've seen these online for years now and have always wanted to make them. Last Christmas my husband's aunt made them and they were devoured in about 15 minutes flat. I made these again for a friend's BBQ a few weeks ago, and don't you know the same thing happened..gone in no time flat!

Shamelessly easy recipe here:
Pretzels (waffle style round or square)
Rolos
Pecans / Almonds / Peanuts / Peanut M&Ms (your choice)

Preheat oven to 200˚
Lay pretzels on parchment lined cookie sheet.

Unwrap rolos and place on top of pretzels. Place in oven for 5 min.

Remove from oven and smoosh nut or candy on top of each rolo..

Let cool on counter for 30 min, or from faster cooling, place in fridge for 10 min. In our house we prefer these right out of the refrigerator - it makes for a chewier caramel center. Enjoy.

Samoa Bars

With summer in full swing and relatives visiting from out of town, we planned a family BBQ a few sundays ago, and craving coconut, I made these Samoa bars, recipe found here: Baking Bites Samoa Bars These are my most favorite girl scout cookies ever, but the boxes just seem to keep getting smaller and smaller every year...maybe I just eat them too fast? Who knows.

Cookie base: 
1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup butter, softened1 large egg1/2 tsp vanilla extract2 cups all purpose flour1/4 tsp salt



You make the dough by creaming together the butter, sugar, vanilla and egg, then slowly adding the flour and salt until dough is crumbly. Then press it into a 13" x 9" pan lined with parchment (for easy removal). Bale at 350˚ for 20-25 min. 


Next time though I would make the cookie layer thinner, as you can see from the photo above the cookie base is much much ticker then the coconut caramel topping - but this is just my preference. 

Topping: 

3 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)

12-oz good-quality chewy caramels
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp milk
10 oz. dark or semisweet chocolate (chocolate chips are ok)

Toast coconut in oven at 350˚ on a baking sheet stirring every 5 min til golden. Unwrap caramels and put in a microwave safe dish with milk and salt and nuke on high for 3-4 min (stopping to stir every minute). Stir til smooth and add coconut when melted. Spread on top of cooled cookie layer. Let sit for a few min and cut into squares. 

Melt chocolate in double boiler (if too thick add a 1/2 tsp of shortening) then dip each square into the chocolate so that bottom is coated. Let cool on parchment lined baking sheet. 

Finally, use remaining chocolate to add decoration to the top of the bars. let cool completely and serve!